Robert J. Jones is the 34th president of the University of Washington. He took office on Aug. 1, 2025, and he also holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Biology in the College of Arts & Sciences.
Prior to leading the UW, Jones served as chancellor of Illinois’ flagship university, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; prior to that, he was president of the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY Albany). He is a distinguished scholar whose research focuses on crop physiology. Jones has served in numerous leadership roles in national academic organizations and the Big Ten Conference.
“I am honored to be joining the University of Washington and excited to lead this extraordinary public University in its mission serving students, families and communities across Washington and beyond. The UW is globally renowned as a home of outstanding teaching, research, innovation and patient care. I look forward to working with the UW’s talented and dedicated faculty and staff to support and accelerate their work, and to partnering with the UW’s supporters to advance students’ success, economic opportunity and discovery for the public good.”